Music video: Ayumi Hamasaki is tickled pink for “Nonfiction”

Ayumi Hamasaki has released her music video for “Nonfiction”. And well...it started off good. But then it just became boring. Just like the song. But we’ll talk about the song separately.

Avex are still on their blocking video sharing bullshit, so you’re gonna have to toddle over to YouTube to watch the music video, if you haven’t done so already.

📺 Watch the music video over at YouTube: Ayumi Hamasaki’s “Nonfiction”

Following on from “23rd Monster”, it’s cool to see Ayuana Grande actually giving something visually which hearkens back to when her music videos were wholly decent. But the problem with the “Nonfiction” music video is the execution of it. Nothing about this music video was even remotely interesting. “Nonfiction” seemed to try and go the “Sexy Little Things” route, which would have been cool, had Ayu not already done that shit and done it better the first time around. “Sexy Little Things” had a lot going on to hold interest. “Nonfiction” did not.

Ayumi Hamasaki - Nonfiction | Directed by Hideaki Sunaga

The set, the colour scheme, and the styling were all great. But nothing else was.

I know that Ayu isn’t one known for dancing, but having this video feature more in the way of striking poses and choreography would have helped kept things visually interesting, made better use of all of the dancers and also the space. Something like Namie Amuro’s “Mint” would have been perfect here, where Ayu is the focal point and actually doesn’t have to do much, but the dancers are all positioned and moving around her in really cool, clean and unified formations. “Nonfiction” KINDA tried to go for that, but it didn’t really work. And there was no focus on any of it, as the shots and editing were messy, and we kept getting cuts to everybody sat in the Resident Evil Spencer mansion looking moody ‘n’ shit.

Ayumi Hamasaki - Nonfiction | Directed by Hideaki Sunaga

I do not get the point of the second setup, which could and should have just been used for another music video entirely. It’s completely disconnected, because it doesn’t tie into the pink concept in a meaningful way which makes sense. And nothing happens during it anyway. It just pulls attention from the strongest concept of the video. If darkness and duality is what was trying to be achieved, it would have made more sense to have replicated the first set, but in black, with Ayu and the dancers in their black outfits. Then we could get cool transitions and cuts between the pink and black setups, and even had the two mix; with Ayu and her dancers in pink on the black set, and Ayu and her dancers in black on the pink set.

And the Spencer mansion setup leaves me even more baffled as to why the single cover is what it is. When I saw the Spencer mansion in the intro, I thought ‘Oh, maybe the single cover look is from the music video after all’. But then Lady Gagasaki had an entirely different look.

Gurl. Get that creative team together.

And please tell me why Ayu’s suit was the most ill fitting and cheapest looking suit? The dancers looks all shat on hers.

I really do like the pink setup though. It’s striking. And we get a look that I don’t think we’ve ever gotten from Ayu before. The last time I recall Ayu giving us a pant suit moment in a music video was maybe “Poker Face”!? I think it’s a shame that it wasn’t all held for a single closer to the album release, because I think it would have made for great visual concept and branding for the album.

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💿 Ayu album and EP reviews: Trouble | Colours | Love Again | Party Queen | Five | Love Songs | Rock 'n' Roll Circus | Next Level | Rainbow